Harry Potter has put a spell on millions of readers, and they all want to find out more about the deeper meaning of his adventures. In Harry Potter and Philosophy, 17 experts in the field of philosophy unlock some of Hogwarts' secret panels, uncovering surprising insights that are enlightening both for wizards and for the most discerning muggles. Individual chapters look at such topics as life revealed in the Mirror of Erised; the ethics of magic; Moaning Myrtle, Nearly Headless Nick, and the relation of the mind to the brain; and the character of Hermione as a case of "sublimated feminism." Also examined in this witty collection are how Aristotle would have run a school for wizards; whether the Potter stories undermine religion and morality; how to tell good people from evil ones through the characters in these novels; and what dementors and boggarts can teach readers about happiness, fear, and the soul.
David Baggett is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at King's College, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He has published many scholarly articles on ethics and philosophy of religion. Shawn Klein is Faculty Associate in Philosophy at Arizona State University. Tom Morris, who contributes a chapter on "If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts," is a nationally known inspirational and business speaker, and best-selling author of True Success, if Aristotle Ran General Motors, and Philosophy for Dummies.